Father Vincent M. Novak, S.J., famed Jesuit religious educator and the first dean of Fordham University’s Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education, died Aug. 6 at Moses Montefiore Hospital, the Bronx. A Jesuit for 69 years, he had celebrated his 88th birthday just three days earlier.

Born in Jersey City, N.J., he attended Xavier H.S., Manhattan, and entered the Society of Jesus at St. Andrew-on-Hudson, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., on Sept. 7, 1942.

Following his novitiate and first vows, he studied both philosophy and theology at Woodstock College, Woodstock, Md., receiving the Licentiate of Sacred Theology in 1956. In his regency, he taught Latin and English at Canisius H.S., Buffalo, N.Y., 1949-52.

He was ordained on June 18, 1955 at the Fordham University Church, the Bronx. He received the S.T.D. Diplôme de Lumen Vitae, Brussels, and was a post-doctoral scholar at UCLA, 1971-72. He served almost all of his priestly life at Fordham University’s Bronx campus. He taught Latin, English and religion at Fordham Prep, 1958-65.

With his interest in religious education, he became editor-in-chief of the Lord and King High School Religion textbook series, and authored two student texts: Jesus Christ, Lord of History, and Jesus Christ, Our Life and Worship.

To meet the demand for religious education training for high school religion teachers, he, along with his brother Father Joseph Novak, S.J., and John Nelson, established a Graduate Institute of Religious Education in 1964. Father Novak served for 40 years as founder, administrator and teacher of what eventually became the Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education (GSRRE).

He was predeceased by his brother, Father Joseph Novak, and his sister, Lucy. He is survived by his sister, Antoinette Frees of Jersey City, N.J.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held Aug. 11 at St. Clare’s Church, the Bronx. Burial followed in the Jesuit cemetery, Auriesville, N.Y.